Budd-e Blind-assistive Autonomous Drive Device

BUDD-e

Blind-assistive aUtonomous Droid Device

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PROJECT

Goals

The BUDD-e project involves a multidisciplinary research team (with expertises, e.g., in ICT, Robotics, and Architectural Design) to pursue a twofold ojective:

  • design and realize a first prototype of the innovative autonomous robotic guide BUDD-e for blind and visually impaired persons, endowed with an innovative human-robot interface;
  • design accessible and inclusive public places and indoor environments where BUDD-e can take the role of a guide for BVI persons and permit the fruition of the offered services.

The application scenarios include public spaces where the users will be able to reserve BUDD-e and use as an autonomous guide, e.g., hospitals, sport centers, shopping centers, parks, cultural centers.

Experimental validation tests are currently conducted in healthcare facilities (ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda) and in sport centers (Centro Sportivo Giuriati, Milano).

Motivation

COVID-19 pandemics and related politics have strongly impacted on people’s life and, even more dramatically, that of vulnerable groups, e.g., people with visual impairment. The possibility to cultivate healthy relationships, take part to social events and activities, and to frequent public spaces has been restricted. Even everyday activities (e.g., use public services, shopping, practice sports) have been severely limited in the past 18 months.

According to the World Health Organization, BVI persons have particularly suffered from the COVID19 emergency and are still dramatically affected by the containment measures, being also particularly prone to the contagion risk. This is due to the fact that BVI need tactile contact with the environment and a guide for moving and orienteering.

People with visual impairment are 4% of the planet population (about 253 Millions). In Italy, they are just under 2 Millions among which 219,174 are absolutely blind (0.3% of the population), while 1,383,922 (2.3%) have a visual residue. Between 2010 and 2030 an increase of people with visual disabilities is expected by about 25% due to the population aging.

This large vulnerable group of persons has compelling and urgent needs to recover from the emergency social situation derived from the COVID-19 pandemics and to mitigate for the inequalities which have been exacerbated by it. This can be fostered by assistive technologies and inclusive environments.

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OBJECTIVES

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USER-CENTERED DESIGN

We have conducted a context analysis to highlight the desired features of the autonomous guide and the opportunities of improvement of spaces in terms of accessibiity.  In particular, focus groups have been organized and questionnaires have been developed to analyze the needs of users and of the spaces. A final report (in Italian) is available here: “Questionari e Focus Group_Report“.

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REALIZATION

BUDD-e is composed of:
– The autonomous vehicle YAPE, endowed with LIDAR sensors, cameras, and IMUs for autonomous driving and interaction with a highly populated and dynamic environment.
– A novel “smart tether system” for managing the human-robot interaction. It is endowed with a tether for connecting the robot and the users.

APPLICATION SCENARIOS

Analysis and design of accessible spaces is also a goal of BUDD-e. This goal will be achievedthrough the application of inclusive and user-centred architectural concepts that will allow to:
– Characterize the needs of orientation and signage;
– Define the optimal spatial and functional features;
– Innovate the fluxes and constraints with respect to the accessibility and usability of the spaces
The results will lead to an improved user experience in hospitals, sport centers, showpping centers, etc.

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NEWS

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TOLD ABOUT US

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TEAM

Dipartimento di Architettura, Ingegneria delle costruzioni e ambiente costruito
A. Rebecchi

Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction Engineering

Dipartimento di Design
P. Perego​

Department of Design

Referente scientifico. Sezione di Automatica, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria.
M. Farina

Scientific coordinator

Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering

Project manager. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale
E. Lettieri

Project manager

School of Management

Foto Sironi
R. Sironi

Adjunct Professor

Foto Gheduzzi
E. Gheduzzi

Assistant Professor

Foto Mozzarelli
L. Mozzarelli

PhD student

Federica
F. Camuncoli

PhD student

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L. Celi

Research Assistant

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M. Dolcini

Research Assistant

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M. Gola

Assistant Professor

Sezione di Automatica, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria
L. Bascetta

Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering

Sezione di Automatica, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria
M. Corno

Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering

Sezione di Bioingegneria, Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria
M. Galli

Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering

 

Dipartimento di Design
G. Andreoni

Department of Design

Foto Rattamasanaprapai
P. Rattamasanaprapai

Research Assistant

Foto - Cattaneo
L. Cattaneo

Research Assistant

Foto - Filippi
T. Filippi

Research Assistant

Foto DiFrancesco
A. Di Francesco

Research Assistant

Foto Terraroli
M. Terraroli

Research Assistant

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M. Scagnoli

Research Assistant

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G. Stevanoni

Research Assistant

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PARTNER

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CONTACTS